The invention relates to a valve actuating mechanism for an internal combustion engine.
An essential requirement for reliable low-wear operation of a valve actuating mechanism is that the engagement and disengagement time, that is, the interval from application of pressure on the coupling bolt to engagement of this bolt in the bore of the other rocker lever, be very brief, since the bores in the rocker levers are aligned with each other only if the rocker levers ride on the base circles of their cams. If the coupling bolt has not been introduced into the second bore to the extent desired during the base circle phase, because of the smaller area of application between the coupling bolt and the wall of the second bore, higher surface pressures arise which may result in extensive wear of the coupling bolt, even if the coupling bolt is fully inserted into the bore after a few rotations of the camshaft. Conversely, it is desirable when pressure is released from the coupling bolt for the purpose of disengagement of the two rocker levers for the coupling bolt to be extracted quickly by the spring from the bore in the second rocker lever, that is, again during the base circle phase to the greatest extent possible. The problem in question intensifies with increase in speed, since the base circle phase, that is, the interval during which the two rocker levers ride on the base circles, shortens as the speed of the camshaft increases.
It is the object of the invention to reduce the disengagement time in a generic valve actuating mechanism.